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Overview of The Baton Pass

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Siemens has exceeded its goal for The Baton Pass™, a campaign designed to raise funds benefiting Stand Up To Cancer® and increase awareness for cancer research at a time when they are critically needed. A symbol of the hope we share that each of those diagnosed with cancer will survive, The Baton Pass campaign illustrated the profound effect of taking a grassroots approach to fundraising.

The Baton Pass was developed by Siemens, one of the world's leading engineers of medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, and healthcare IT solutions, to raise funds for Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C). SU2C is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports pioneering cancer research designed to get new therapies to patients quickly. The campaign's goal was not only to raise funds to support innovative cancer research, but also to raise awareness of the progress we've made in detection, monitoring, and treatment of this disease, and spread a message of hope that with continued investment in research, more cancer patients can become cancer survivors.

Siemens donated $1 to Stand Up To Cancer for every physical pass of the Baton and for virtual passes through www.facebook.com/TheBatonPass and Twitter, with the goal of reaching $1 million by SU2C's telecast on September 5, 2014. Not only did Siemens reach that goal at an event at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital on September 2, but combined with employee and additional public contributions, the company exceeded it.

The Baton has traveled thousands of miles across the U.S. and Canada and appeared at nearly 100 events. It has been passed through the hands of patients, family members, survivors, doctors, nurses and researchers at some of the world's most prestigious institutions, bringing its emblematic "hope" to everyone who is on the front lines of the fight to save lives. The Baton started its journey on Good Morning America on March 19th followed by a celebration in Times Square, and then made stops at hospitals including New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Cleveland Clinic, City of Hope in Los Angeles, and Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, among others. In addition to visiting hospitals, the Baton was passed at medical trade shows and conferences across the US, and was even taken on a bicycle tour of Southern California. It has been passed by city mayors and team mascots; first responders and comic book heroes; and even took a spin around the Kentucky Speedway. The Baton was also passed among 2,500 New York school children in one day. Celebrities including Robin Roberts, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Aykroyd, Michael J. Fox, Scott Hamilton, Lisa Swayze, and the cast of the television show Castle also participated in The Baton Pass. The Baton made its final appearance in the crowd gathered for The Who's performance, which aired during SU2C's telecast on September 5.

Siemens was able to achieve this success by taking a grassroots approach to the campaign – combining traditional in-person tactics with heavy social media engagement and campaign promotion. The company complemented The Baton Pass' launch with a Times Square and Taxi TV take-over in New York City that directed people to the campaign's Facebook page. The Facebook page served as resource for those following The Baton Pass, and also provided a means for those who could not physically pass the Baton to do so virtually. In fact, the majority of passes were made online. Social media components enhanced and broadened the campaign, helping to meet its goal of raising awareness of the progress we've made and need to continue innovative research programs.

"We are grateful to have been able to collaborate with Stand Up To Cancer to help accelerate the much needed research that is already proving to bring treatments to patients faster," said Gregory Sorensen, MD, CEO, Siemens Healthcare North America. "The Baton Pass is a great example of the evolution of fundraising and awareness campaigns, and the success that's possible when you combine traditional, social media, and in-person engagement activities."

"I was in Times Square for the first pass of the Baton in March, and accompanied The Baton through the spring and summer to various locations throughout the U.S.," said Kathleen Lobb, SU2C co-founder. "Wherever the Baton was passed, it touched hands and hearts and brought hope to cancer patients and survivors, their loved ones, researchers, clinicians and health care providers. Everyone at Stand Up To Cancer is grateful to Siemens for this moving experience, and for its generous contribution to helping more cancer patients become cancer survivors."

About SiemensSiemens Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the industry, energy, healthcare, and infrastructure & cities sectors. Siemens in the USA employs approximately 52,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, healthcare information technology and hearing aids. Siemens has long believed that imaging technology plays a key role in advancing cancer research. We have seen firsthand the power of an early and accurate diagnosis. Our diagnostic technologies have made it possible to detect cancer in some of its earliest and most treatable stages, sometimes before a patient even experiences symptoms.

About Stand Up To CancerStand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by film and media leaders who utilize the industry's resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, and to increase awareness about progress being made in the fight against the disease. As SU2C's scientific partner, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and a Scientific Advisory Committee led by Nobel Laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., conduct rigorous, competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and provide expert review of research progress.